Buying guide

Choosing your film camera

Choose between one of the 4 main parameters

There are 4 essential parameters to consider when you are in the process of buying your film camera: photo quality, design, features and price.

It has been commonly observed that there is no single camera that can be called the best in all these 4 parameters. Depending upon your planned usage, it is best to choose one or two of these parameters and look for cameras that can be called the best in each. For instance, most people would opt for a camera that produces excellent photo quality. If you are an amateur photographer, you will also go the same way. A professional photographer, specialising in natural light photography or moonlight photography, on the other hand, may opt for another parameter because he can use accessories to make the photo quality great.

Choose 35 mm SLR if photography is something you like

35 mm SLR film cameras are the most commonly used cameras because they offer the most convenience. If you are not a professional photographer, then one of these cameras is perfectly suited for you. Almost all the cameras that fall into this category are fully automatic, allowing you to point and shoot. And when you have this functionality, wouldn’t you opt for a camera that makes it absolutely simple for you to click photos and make films? Even simpler than these cameras are the Polaroid cameras that you can shoot with and print a photograph instantly.

The more complicated film cameras if you are a professional

If you are a professional photographer, you will obviously not want a point and shoot camera. This is because such a camera is bound to diminish or limit your creativity. There are specialized cameras for professionals and you ought to have a look at them. In fact, if you are planning to buy a camera as a professional photographer, the recommendation is that you visit an online camera store and carefully scan through the features of a few high end cameras. This will help you make the right choice.

Get the right accessories

The performance of any film camera can be enhanced with the right kind of accessories. If you find out about lenses and filters and tripods and monopods, you will be able to buy the right ones for your camera. And once you start using the right accessories, you will see how you improve as the user of your camera.

Set your budget

A film camera can be prohibitively expensive and when you add accessories to it, the cost can go through the roof. So, before you set your eyes on a specific camera and its accessories, the best idea is to figure out how much you can afford to spend. This will allow you to look at cameras that serve your purpose and don’t bust your bank.

Which film camera for which use?

If you are into amateur photography, then you don’t need to look beyond point and shoot cameras. Some of the best cameras in this category are Fujifilm Intax Mini 8 and Fujifilm Intax Mini 25. If you want to purchase a camera that allows you to print your photos instantly, any of the Polaroid cameras should serve your purpose. You can choose from models like Polaroid Z340 and Polaroid 300.

35 mm SRL cameras are excellent cameras for amateur or hobby photographers. These cameras are extremely convenient to use and you can make your photos and films easily. Some of the models worth looking at are Canon AE-1, Lomography Konstruktor and Nikon FE.

If you want to purchase medium format cameras, there are some attractive options at your disposal. Medium format cameras allow you to click photos that can be enlarged without making them grainy. Some of the best film cameras in this category include Pentax 645Z, Canon XF 100 and Hasselblad H2F.

For even larger pictures, you need to choose large format cameras. Some of the models available in this category are Holga 120N, Lomography Diana F and some of the other Holga film camera models.

If budget is no issue then you can opt for speciality cameras like Leicaflex SL U.S. Navy, Hasselblad Mint and some of the Rolleiflex models. For the nostalgic or purists, vintage cameras also offer great value.